2003 Nationals Montreal, Que.

Jimmo & Gates Bring Home Gold!!

    During the week of March 19-22, Karate New Brunswick sent its largest team ever to the 29th Canadian National Karate Championships in Montreal, Que. With a contingent of 30 athletes, 4 Coaches and 3 Officials, New Brunswick was well represented.
   A total of 6 individual & 2 team medals were garnered, including 2 Gold, & 6 Bronze place medals. Ryan Jimmo, again received a Gold medal in the Mens Heavyweight Division, while Gabriel Gates becomes the youngest Gold Medal winner from New Brunswick in the Juvenile Boys middleweight division. Gates had the most impressive fight record by defeating all his opponents by at least 5 points. Jimmo lost the Gold medal round in the open division to the overall Champion Saeed Baghnami of Ontario, then to last years Heavyweight Champion Karl Sutton, who Jimmo beat in their weight class earlier in the tournament, ending up with the Bronze in the Mens Openweight, as did Adam Garnet in Cadet Boys middleweight, Alison Smith in Jr. girls Heavyweight, Venessa Bosse in Cadet Girls Heavyweight. The Jr. Girls team kumite of Trinda Fanjoy, Venessa Bosse, Natalie Andrusyk & Laura Keating, took a 3rd. place bronze as did the Jr. Boy's Kumite Team, of Jeremy Durelle, Justin Demerchant, Adam Garnet, & Matt Walsh. Of the 30 athletes who attended, 15 returned home with National medals.

   Ryan Jimmo has been made part of Canada's Men Kumite Team, while Gabriel Gates, Alison Smith, Adam Garnet & Venessa Bosse have all been selected to attend the National Junior training and selection camp for the Junior Pan Ams in the fall.
   Although other members of the Provincial team did very well in their divisions, the competition was very stiff and many lost out going to the medal rounds by few points.
   Other members of the Provincial Team also received either recognition or awards at the Canadian Championships. David Langley received a recognition plaque for all his hard work as Team manager, while Wendy Oliver was acknowledged as the longest most active female Coach at the Nationals with 11 consecutive years. Paul Oliver, the Head Coach for KNB was voted NKA "Coach of the Year" and received the annual Coach's Plaque.

The Team List & Delegation from New Brunswick

From Saint John Area; Ryan Jimmo, Justin Macadam, Alison Smith, Chyloe Gallant, Adam Garnet, Natalie Andrusyk, Trinda Fanjoy, Corey Stewart, Justin Stewart, Brian O'Brian, Kayla Richard, Andrew Hachey, Curtis Leblanc, Glen Savoie, Corey Campbell, Corey Doucet, Luke Oliver, Matt Walsh, & Nick Reicker as athletes, and Paul & Wendy Oliver as Coaches, and Paul Jimmo as an Official.
From Bellisle Area: Gabriel Gates as an athlete, & Ed Gates as an Assistant Coach.
From St. Andrew's area; Laura Keating as an athlete, and David Langley as an Assistant Coach & Team Manager.
From Fredericton area; Alex Muir, Melissa Bosse, Venessa Bosse, Jeremy Durelle, Alex Campbell, Justin Demerchant, & Stephanie McNeil as athletes, and Don Mazerolle and Barry Welch as Officials.
From Moncton Area; Stephane Richard as an athlete.

Congratulations

   Congratulations to those KNB members who challenged the NKA Dan Test in Montreal and were successful. Rick Kennedy and Devon Henderson of Goju-Ryu, who passed the Shodan test. Sensei Sly Lessard who although not successful in his rank attempt sought, is being upgraded to Nidan. Mr Lessard was instrumental in setting up his Instructors "Style Association" being recognized by the NKA. Finally, Sensei Paul Oliver passed the NKA-Godan test, and becomes the highest ranking Blackbelt of any style in Atlantic Canada recognized by the NKA.
   Congratulations to KNB Head Coach Paul Oliver, who was just certified to Instruct NCCP Level 2 Technical, and was voted the "NKA Coach of the Year", at this years Nationals. The Coach of the year is selected by the majority vote of all the Provincial Coaches across Canada at the National Championships. The first time for New Brunswick.